Is metal theft committed by organized crime groups, and why does it matter?

Tools

Ashby, M.P.J. ORCID: 0000-0003-4201-9239, 2015. Is metal theft committed by organized crime groups, and why does it matter? Criminology & Criminal Justice. ISSN 1748-8958

Preview

Text
220987_PubSub2743_Ashby.pdf
Download (232kB) | Preview

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1748895815603777

Abstract

Using the example of metal theft in the United Kingdom, this study used mixed methods to evaluate the accuracy of police estimates of the involvement of organised crime groups (OCGs) in crime. Police estimate that 20-30% of metal theft is committed by OCGs, but this study found that only 0.5% of metal thieves had previous convictions for offences related to OCGs, that only 1.3% were linked to OCGs by intelligence information, that metal thieves typically offended close to their homes and that almost no metal thefts involved sophisticated offence methods. It appears that police may over-estimate the involvement of OCGs in some types of crime. The reasons for and consequences of this over-estimation are discussed.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

Criminology & Criminal Justice

Creators:

Ashby, M.P.J.

Publisher:

SAGE in association with the British Society of Criminology

Place of Publication:

London

Date:

2015